


To Guide You to the Light

by BrightStarWrites



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Death, Ghosts, Grim Reapers, Kokichi tries to help spirits come to terms with what have happened to them, M/M, Reaper Kokichi, Repaer/Ghost au, Shuichi is a ghost with mystery around him, but it is lighthearted, ghost shuichi, this story does deal with heavy topis of death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28841535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightStarWrites/pseuds/BrightStarWrites
Summary: Kokichi Ouma is a reaper, a spirit destined to help other spirits move on to their afterlife before being reborn. It’s a difficult job but he does his best, making sure everyone is at peace and moves on with no regrets or unfinished business. When he meets Shuichi Saihara, a spirit with no memory of how he died and has still yet to pass on, Kokichi makes it his mission to help the spirit anyway he can.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 88





	To Guide You to the Light

**Author's Note:**

> This story was based on the Stellamap Cafe merch of the V3 cast for the Danganronpa 10th anniversary! I highly reccomend you check the merch designs out because they are so cute! 
> 
> Thank you to FrostieFroakie for beta reading once again! You're awesome! Also, thank you Gigi for once again helping with the title!
> 
> I apologise if this is a little late, I lost track of time ^ w^; Also, be mindful of the tags

Death.

It doesn’t discriminate. You can be rich, poor, old, young, healthy, frail, cis, trans, gay, straight or anything else, it will come for you in the end. Life was different for everyone but they all led to the same outcome in the end. It was inevitable and you couldn’t run from it no matter how hard you tried. Some people feared it, some treated it like meeting an old friend. It was scary, but it was the fate of all living things.

It was a pivotal thing in the cycle of renewal, so life could keep going and the world wouldn’t get over crowded.

But if everything died, who helped the souls pass on? Was it just darkness? No, there were beings that met the souls and helped them continue their journey to their chosen afterlife before they were reborn. 

That was the job of the reapers. 

Reapers were a special phenomenon. They were there when you died and helped you with the next step. They didn’t judge you, they were neither good, nor evil, just a guide. If you had unfinished business they would help take care of it for you so you felt at peace.

It was a misconception though that there was just one grim reaper, there were many, and they too weren’t immune from dying. They were just different.

Kokichi Ouma was one such reaper, although he was pretty different from how you’d think a reaper should act. He liked to tease and make souls see that death wasn’t so bad. There was always pain with death, but what came next was important. Granted he may seem cold sometimes, but he was fair. He tried to make souls face reality so they could move on in peace to the afterlife they believed in but eventually be reborn. His personal favourite afterlife he’d come across was Valhalla as it sounded fun.

Kokichi at that moment however was carefully entering a house. A new soul was about to enter the spectral plane and he had been assigned to be their guide and help with the transition. He passed through the wall and entered the premises, quickly finding the body. He quickly checked his list to confirm, _‘Momota Kaito, cause of death is an unknown illness. Shit, life can really be cruel sometimes. Alright, time for the standard ‘am I dead’ stuff again.’_

The reaper watched as the soul of the human appeared, slowly floated out of the body before producing a bright burst of light. The soul of Kaito changed from a floating orb to a more human appearance, still tethered to his body by a string of light. Kaito’s spirit opened its eyes and looked around, “Shit, it's freezing.”

Kokichi however just stepped forward, “Nishishi? Really, because I’m toasty warm. Want me to put the heating on?”

Kaito quickly turned to Kokichi, and the second he saw the scythe and fluttering cloak he screamed, “Ahhh! Ghost! S-s-stay away.”

 _‘Oh great, he’s one of those souls. Brilliant.’_ Kokichi just thought as he rolled his eyes.

Kokichi sighed, “Nah, you’re the only ghost here. I’m a reaper, does the scythe not give it away? I thought that was obvious.”

Kaito blinked a few times before just looking pissed, “I don’t know who you are but get the fuck out of my house! What kind of bugler dresses up like it’s Halloween?! I’ll call the cops!”

The purple haired reaper just grinned, doing his best to be a little playful, “You silly thing, the dead can’t interact with the physical world. You can’t use the phone, just like I can’t drink grape Panta. It’s so heartbreaking!”

“I’m not dead!” Kaito yelled as he floated up slightly.

Kokichi just looked at his form, an unimpressed expression on his face, “Look down before you say that. I may lie but I don’t lie when it comes to my job. What humans do you know that have skull shaped pupils?”

Kaito looked down and his face went from annoyed to scared. He looked at his body and then his hands, seeing they were slightly see through. Kokichi knew what came next, the denial of the situation.

“No, no, this is impossible. I know I was getting weak from the…. but... How can I be?” Kaito uttered as he looked at his body.

Kokichi just walked over, sighing slightly, “It is the cycle of life, Momota-chan. You fought your illness but in the end it took your life. There’s no point in lying about it. I am a reaper and I am here to help with passing on to the next stage, no lies.”

Kaito still seemed a bit shaken but Kokichi did his best to calm him, “Hey, at least you don’t have to be scared of ghosts anymore, Nishishi! Anyway, I got to cut the link between you and your body now, then we can get out of here.”

The reaper lifted his scythe and swiftly cut the link in one swing. Kaito floated around the room a bit, a little unsteady, before looking back at Kokichi, “Hey, shouldn’t you be taller?”

Kokichi was so used to this question and god did he find it annoying, “Well, how many grim reapers have YOU met before, dickweed!”

Kaito just lifted a fist, “Hey! No need to be a jerk! I just died!”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, “Yes, I’m aware. Now unless you have any unfinished business it’s time you moved on. Do you have any business here on Earth?” 

Kaito though and just looked out the window, “It’s not exactly on Earth, but I always wanted to go to space. My illness stopped me from being able to go there.”

Kokichi nodded softly, “Well, as insufferable as you are, I can help with that.”

“Hey! Would you fucking cut tha-... wait, you can take me to space?” Kaito asked, his face morphing from anger to curiosity.

Kokichi grinned brightly, “Of course! You can float now after all. Just take my hand and we’ll go on a little walk in space.”

Kaito was hesitant but took Kokichi’s hand, “Wow, it’s not just bone!”

Kokichi just grinned, “Oh it is, I just have a great plastic surgeon. The skeleton look scared people too much.”

Kaito just rolled his eyes as Kokichi floated them up through the ceiling and into the sky. He kept going up until they flew out of the atmosphere. The whole of the cosmos was before them.

Kokichi just grinned, “Is it how you imagined it?”

Kaito was speechless as he looked around. His eyes seemed to hold some life in them again as he just looked at all the far off stars. They may have been millions of miles away, but their beauty still reached them. Kaito looked at the other planets in the solar system and just smiled, “The luminary of the stars finally made it.”

It was then that a bright light once again appeared around Kaito, slowly making him vanish. He closed his eyes as he just smiled, “I’m glad I was able to see this. Even if it was for a moment I’m happy.”

Kokichi just smiled softly at the soul passing on. Yes his job was annoying, but being able to see souls pass on in peace, that was why he took this gig in the first place.

He let go of Kaito’s hand and smiled, “Be free.”

Kaito continued smiling as the light engulfed him, leaving just a few flickering lights as his soul passed onto the next part of his journey. Kokichi sighed as he crossed the name off his list, _‘Right, time for a small break back on the ground I think.’_

* * *

Kokichi sat in the forest, taking a few minutes before carrying on with his job. The job of a reaper was tiring after all. Granted Kokichi wouldn’t have to do it for all eternity, but he just liked to slow down and take a break now and then. He liked to appreciate the little things the world had to offer which others would take for granted. He liked to look at flowers and plants here on earth as the little rift reapers often lived in was dark and cold. Nothing really grew there as it was a space rift which held only a stone castle the reapers lived in.

The purple head rested his scythe on the floor as he just listened to the little stream running by, gazing at the water flowing. It was calming to him, _‘The others can get a bit too job focused. It’s nice to just take a moment and relax. I know I don’t need to but I still do my job, I earned these moments.’_

Kokichi just gazed around at the trees, watching the wind blow through the trees. That was until his skull shaped eyes stopped on something. He saw a small shape floating around, a small wisp of some kind with a few flicks of fire floating around it. The reaper quickly picked up his scythe and gazed at the object. The shape floated a bit more and Kokichi managed to make out a small paper triangle and a pair of eyes, _‘Huh? A spirit? Who left this one alone! God dammit! If we leave souls behind, dark energy will eat them and they’ll be lost forever!’_

The ghost floated a bit more, it looked a little scared and panicked as it did. Kokichi just walked over, his cloak brushing through the plants silently. The spirit turned and saw Kokichi, shaking a bit having been spotted by another creature. Kokichi just lifted a hand up to the soul, “Reveal your true form to me.”

Energy fired from his hand and the soul seemed to shine for a moment before revealing it’s true form to be a boy with navy blue hair. His greyish gold eyes darted around a bit as he tried to avoid eye contact, “Um.”

Kokichi was neutral as he looked at the spirit before him, “Why have you not moved on? Did your reaper leave you? If it was Kiiboy I am so whacking him with wet tofu later!”

The ghost gasped and waved his hand, “Ah, I’m okay. I still have some unfinished business to do.”

Kokichi kept a stern gaze on him for a moment before grinning, “Okay, maybe I can help then! I don’t want your soul to be taken after all. What is it?”

The ghost boy seemed to sweat, “I, um, that’s the thing. I er, don’t remember what it is. I’ve tried to move on, but I can’t.”

Kokichi was at a loss for words. This was unheard of in everything he’d learned. Souls normally knew what they had to do before passing on. He just scratched his cheek, “Um, is it linked to how you died? Maybe you want vengeance?”

The ghost shook his head, “I don’t even remember how I died. And I don’t think that would be it. I don’t really hold grudges.”

Kokichi looked even more lost then, “Huh! I mean, that’s probably for the best. I don’t see any wounds on you that showed how you died. Your ghost form does show the fatal blow you had in life after all. Okay, let me check my list. What’s your name?”

“Saihara Shuichi. Um... I died a while ago, I don’t remember how long though.” The ghost boy replied as Kokichi got his list out.

The reaper scanned the list closely but couldn’t find the name, “Wow, someone really did mess up in admin. Well, I guess I just have to keep an eye on you. You’re now my helper!”

Shuichi looked confused, “Huh?”

Kokichi just grinned and put his arms behind his head, “I mean, I can’t leave you alone here! A soul like you must be helped! A reaper helps with unfinished business so souls can move on, and if you don’t know what yours is that means we gotta stick together until we find out! I mean, you don’t want your soul to be eaten do you?”

Shuichi shook his head, “N-no!”

“Then it’s settled, I’ll protect you and you can stay with me. You can stay as a wisp and make me look extra creepy! Nishishi! I’m Ouma Kokichi, the amazingly talented grim reaper of nightmares!”

Shuichi thought for a bit but slowly nodded, “If you’re sure. Thank you, Ouma-kun.”

Kokichi grinned, “No problem! Now I have to go help other poor souls! Make sure you keep up!”

The boy nodded, quickly turning back into his wisp form and floating above Kokichi’s head. A few little flames flickered off him now and then, but Kokichi smiled, at the little figure, _‘He’s like a little floating apple with a tail. He ever has his ahoge in that form, who could have left such a shy soul on their own. I will be having words with the others!’_

Kokichi then walked off to his next soul of the evening, this time he was going to a hospital.

* * *

After helping a sweet elderly woman to the afterlife, Shuichi returned to his ghost form and looked at Kokichi as they sat on the hospital roof, “So, are you reapers immortal?”

Kokichi just grinned, “Yep! In fact, I’m the oldest, most powerful reaper of them all! I command all the others! Nishishi!”

Shuichi tilted his head as he flew closer, “I don’t think that’s right. You seem to look a bit young to be the oldest reaper.”

Kokichi pouted, “Does Saihara-chan think I’m lying! How mean! WAAAHHHHH!”

Shuichi got flustered and waved his hands, “Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Kokichi just grinned, his tears just somehow stopping, “Nishishi! Got you! You’re right though, I’m not the oldest or the most powerful. We reapers aren’t immortal at all.”

Shuichi nodded, “So, were you born a reaper?”

“You ask a lot of questions, if I tell you I’d have to kill you.” Kokichi stated, a finger to his lips.

Shuichi raised a brow, “But I’m already dead?”

Kokichi just went back to grinning, “Ah, you saw through me, well as a prize I’ll answer your question. We aren’t born. See when a human dies whoever has a strong soul is plucked from the ether before they go on to the afterlife. These souls get given a choice, to pass on and eventually come back like other souls, or to take a small detour and help other souls on their paths! If we choose to help others we come back as reapers! We don’t do it for eternity, we just do our best for as long as our souls can handle it. After we’re done we get to pass on the rest of the way and come back like everyone else. It’s sort of like community service.”

The reaper looked up at the sky, kicking his legs slightly, “Of course there are other conditions, if you’ve harmed another soul in life, you don’t get to be a reaper. It takes a strong soul with no darkness inside them to be a reaper. For our service we also often get to meet the ones we loved in a previous life again when we are reborn. No memories of course, but we’ll still be drawn to each other. We just have to do the job as best we can so no soul gets left behind. There are only about a hundred reapers at one time.”

Shuichi nodded, “So, did you choose it to be reunited with someone you love?”

Kokichi poked Shuichi’s nose, “Now that is a pretty personal question, how bold of you Shumai~ I said I’d only answer that question, you need to do more free time events to find that out.”

Shuichi blushed a little at getting his nose booped and quickly looked away, “Sorry. I guess I’m just curious. It’s been so long since I had anyone to talk to.”

Kokichi seemed to go silent as Shuichi fiddled with the sleeves of his white kimono, “I don’t remember a reaper coming to meet me. I just woke up as a ghost. I remember only fragments of my life but I can’t remember my death at all. If I could I know I’d be able to pass on.”

Shuichi held his knee close to himself, “I just remember floating in the forest for so long. Alone and cold.”

Kokichi felt a little bad, but knew how he felt. Sure he got to meet other reapers, but they often didn’t have much of a sense of humour. They often just stared through him with their otherworldly gaze and ignored him. He too felt alone in the reaper community. A lot of them were a lot older than him aside from Kiibo and just didn’t have time for him, often too focused on the job. He understood sure, it was an important job, but being the outcast always hurt. He hid how he felt from everyone else and just played around, he wanted a companion though. Finding Shuichi may have been a blessing in disguise for him.

The reaper stopped his depressing thoughts and just looked out. He could see the sun was rising, transforming the sky for the dark colour it was before into something magical. Orange and yellows covered the sky as a new day dawned. Kokichi loved this time of day and always made time to watch it if he could. He knew a lot of darkness when it came to death so seeing the sun rise just gave him hope and happiness. Life was hard, but it could be beautiful as well in moments like this.

Kokichi stood up, turning to Shuichi and offering him a hand, “Well, you don’t have to be alone anymore. I already said I’d help you with your unfinished business right? Well, as long as I’m a reaper I’ll help you out! We’ll try and uncover your memories and solve the puzzle in your unknown unfinished business!”

Shuichi looked at him and smiled for the first time in a very long time. The light from the rising sun made it just a little more special, “Yeah. Thanks, Ouma-kun.”

Kokichi smiled as Shuichi took his hand, “Now come on, there’s more names on my list today. I got to make sure I’m there when they pass on so they don’t feel lost.”

Shuichi nodded and quickly hugged the reaper, “I’ll do my best to help.”

Kokichi quickly flushed red, but after taking a second to get his brain back in order, willed it away, “Geez Saihara-chan, I didn’t know you were this clingy.”

Shuichi quickly pulled away, “Ah! My apologies!”

Kokichi just smiled, “It’s alright! I honestly don’t mind at all! Or am I lying, guess you’ll have to work it out! Now come on!”

Kokichi quickly jumped, his cloak fluttering out like the wings of a crow. Shuichi quickly shifted back to wisp form and followed, perching on Kokichi’s head as they went to find more souls in need.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few possible ideas for where this au could go but for now I just wanted to do a small one shot about it. I did have the idea that Kokichi helps animal spirits too, but I couldn't work it into the story and still have it flow well. If I do next part I do want to include a scene of Kokichi fussing a cat as animals can see the supernatural better than humans!
> 
> Anyway, I have one more story to post and then I'm breaking for a little while. Part two of my Phantom Thief au has been drafted and I am excited to share the prequel of how Kokichi and Shuichi met! It will be called 'How We Became Partners in Crime' so keep an eye out if you're intrested!


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